Means fob propelling vessels in shoal water



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. IV. WETMORE, 0F ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS IN SI-IOAL WATER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,598, dated June 16, 1857.

To @ZZ 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J. W. VETMORE, of Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new Improvements in Modes of Propelling Vessels in Shoal `Water3 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description, to wit:

The nature of my invention consists in improved means of operating a propelling or locomotive wheel for the boat on the bottom of the stream.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I design to use boats of the usual form of river steam boats. I use the common shaft located as usual for side paddle wheels.

Between the paddle wheels and the body of the boat are cranks in the shafts which (A and B) I will designate as side cranks. Forward of the bow of the boat is the locomotive or propelling wheel (w) standing vertical and parallel with the hand sprit. This is supported by two arms or adjustable bearings (g 7iand l Z) in the forward ends of which (7c, 22) are the journals of the aXle of the propelling wheel (fw). Between these arms immediately aft of this wheel is a block of such width as to hold the,

sections of the arms (0 7c, p ZL, Figure II) which are forward of the boat parallel. The arms are bolted to this block and the wheel (fw) can then be revolved between them. From the block backward the arms or bearings curve with the bend of the boat and are of such form as is necessary for the requisite strength. The aft ends of the arms (g Zt Z) are attached on journals which are short sockets or thimbles protruding a short distance from the sides of the boat, through which the main shaft (A B) passes and in which it revolves. The object of these thimbles is to avoid the increased friction that the draft upon the arms would cause if they bore upon the naked shaft.

On the aft side of the block is rmly attached a vertical rod (B, S,) called the' guide rod, curving backward in an arc of a circumference of which the center of the main shaft (A B) in the middle of the boat at (y) is the center. Stays are attached to the bow*a ring (7) at the deck and a half circle (8) at the bottom in which the guide rod rises and falls without lateral variation. The object of this rod is to assist the adjustable bearings (7c Z, g la.) in keeping the locomotive wheel in its position especially when it has descended to its lower points. Thus supported the locomotive wheel will conform to the irregularities of the bottom of the stream, falling by its weight and rising (by the pressure of the bottom) vertically in the arc which has the center described at The propelling power is then applied as follows: On the ends of the journals of (7c and 71,.) on the aXle of the locomotive wheel (w), are two cranks (e 7c, h j) just equal in length to the side cranks (A and B). Parallel rods, (e Z, and z' j) on each side, connect the corresponding cranks fore and aft. These parallel rods are just equal in length to the adjustable bearings on arms (g L Zr: Z) they all being radii of a circumference the center of which is the main shaft at (y). Then then the shaft is revolved by power applied by piston rods (Q u, t o) Fig. II, or otherwise to the cranks (g and t) inside of the boat, the side cranks will revolve and carry their corresponding cranks of the locomotive wheel in the same direction. These revolutions will take place without obstruction from the vertical variations of the locomotive wheel because of this equality of the radii.

The locomotive wheel will move the boat by friction on the bottom of the stream, freely rising and falling with the irregularities of t-he bottom. This friction may be sufcient in some streams if the perimeter is a plain circumference, but it may be increased by having teeth as in the models and drawings or by having the arms of the wheel extend beyond its braces like the arms of the vertical section of the paddle wheel without the paddles.

The cranks of the locomotive wheel may be at right angles or in the same plane. If they lie in the same direction, there would be less oblique strain on the arms at (K and L) if at right angles, there would be the usual advantage in passing the dead points.

On the main shaft (A B) either outside of the side cranks (f, z`,) or between these cranks and the arms at (13 and 4) are placed narrow paddle Vwheels (a a, b b) to be used in going down stream or at any time in deep water. When the paddle wheels are used, the after ends (f and z') of the parallel rods can be detached from the wheel for passing obstruction or for anyA other purpose.

There may be .extensions of the main l shaft (A B) beyond the side cranks. These are to support the paddle wheels (a a Z2 b). The drawing showsY the application of `my discovery to the simplest form of lboat,the wheels being omitted, as the invention is designed for use with or without them.

deck to show the cranks (g and t).

If the main shaft asis usual in side paddle wheel boats, be above the hull of the boat as in Fig. III, then the'after ends of the arms (Z and g) and the parallel rods (i and f) may be bent (e, Fig. III so that they may operate under the guard decks (11, l2) forward of the wheel house. In this case, if the side cranks be outside of the paddle wheel, the parallel rods may be straight and revolve outside of theV wheel house. y

Fig. I represents the view in perspecti-ve. (t is a temporary piston to work the model. (e, a) are openings-through the (u and fu) Fig. II are the cylinders which slant upward from the bow toward the shaft (A B),

so that the pistons (g, u, w) will be, on the average, parallel with the arms and parallel rods (g h k Z etc). This Fig. II is a horizontal section of the boat as described with wheels outside of the side cranks (A and B) Fig. III shows a vertical section of the same.

The diameter of the locomotive wheel (fw) will be determined by the following considerations: 1st. It must be suicient to prevent the wheel from running under. ob structions. 2d. Sufficient to prevent. the cranks (C and D) from incurring the ob structon of operatng under water when the stream is shallow and the current rapid. 3d. The diameter must be diminished to increase the propelling force desired to be secured from a given power, and 4th increased to increase the Velocity of the boat.

The length of the corresponding cranks (A, B andC, D) will be determined as follows: 1st. Their lengths will be increased to increase the propelling force exerted by the power. 2d and diminished, to increase the velocity obtained by a given power.

The arms (g L, Z 7c) may be extended forward of the locomotive wheel widened upward and bolted together to afford protection to this wheel and strength to the frame (ZL 7c 0 p) Fig. II. I

Cylinders (u and fu) may be placed at (z' and f) and then (e f) the parallel rods would become' piston rods, Fig. II.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The arrangement of the arms g, h, and

Zu, Z, and, e, f, and z', j in relation to each other and to the crank-shaft and to other wheel as and for the purposes herein set Witnesses:

JNO. C. MACCREARY, JOHN F. BURGIN. 

